AJ and AJ dive into female empowerment through two deeply personal lenses: literature and pop culture.

“J” kicks things off with The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, a historical fiction novel set in 1930s Kentucky about the Packhorse Librarians, women who delivered books by horseback to remote Appalachian communities. The story’s themes of friendship, courage, access to books, and women defying expectations hit close to home for “J”, reminding her of her own time in Mormonism, when she felt trapped by silence, rules, and a relationship that left her deeply depressed. Like the women in the novel, “J” found the strength to speak up, leave, and change her life.

“A” then turns to one of the most powerful figures in her life: Britney Spears. From Britney’s explosive rise to fame to the sexuality and magnetism that captivated “A” as an eighth grader, she reflects on how Britney helped her access her own sense of power and sexuality. "A" also explores the darker side of Britney’s story, including her conservatorship, and how it mirrored parts of “A’s” own childhood. Through Britney, “A” learned that even the people we idolize may be struggling, but their visibility can still help us find empowerment in ourselves.

This week on What's Your Damage?, AJ and AJ revisit some of their greatest hits in the Regret Department.

“A” kicks things off with a trip back to college, when she somehow convinced herself that being a theater kid dating a baseball player was a good idea. What followed was a masterclass in accepting less than the bare minimum: being treated like a booty call, getting cheated on, getting financially drained, and eventually getting dumped after paying for the guy to come see her. Naturally, she traces part of the blame back to The Rules of Attraction, a movie that taught an entire generation that toxic relationships were sexy and emotional self-destruction was a personality.

Meanwhile, “J” dives into Flatliners, the movie that asks, "What if a bunch of doctors deliberately died for science?" and somehow got made. The film's regret-fueled hallucinations lead her to reflect on her youngest sibling and the reality that she and her other siblings were largely left to raise him when their parents were running on empty. Looking back, she wishes she'd had more tools, more support, and significantly fewer responsibilities for someone who was still figuring out childhood herself.

Along the way, AJ and AJ discuss hindsight, guilt, terrible role models, and the uncomfortable realization that sometimes your younger self was doing the best she could with information primarily gathered from questionable movies and untreated emotional baggage.

In Episode 25, AJ and AJ talk about the moment they realized their parents weren’t always going to feel cool, untouchable, or permanent. J's story starts with watching Oscar nominees together and trying to talk about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon — only to hear it dismissed as “too loud.” Maybe it was the swooshing kicks, the clanging swords, or all those soft wind chimes. Either way, it marked the beginning of realizing their parents weren’t as tapped into culture as they once seemed.

The conversation shifts into something deeper as "A" talks about being abroad in college when her father had a heart attack, and how Big Fish suddenly became painfully relatable. They unpack what it means to grow older alongside your parents, to see them as fragile people instead of fixed figures, and the quiet hope of being in a good place with them at the end of their lives — whenever that may be.

Episode 24 of What’s Your Damage?  returns to the COVID Pandemic as AJ and AJ reflect on the isolation, uncertainty, and strange rhythms of the pandemic years.

"A" talks about feeling cut off from her artistic community while desperately trying to stay connected through the internet, and how Bo Burnham’s Inside — widely acclaimed and award-winning — perfectly captured that moment in time: the fear, loneliness, and absurdity of lockdown. Through the special, Bo Burnham perfectly holds a mirror back to society, showing us the truth about ourselves — the good, bad, and ugly.

"J" reflects on how fortunate she was to have job security and no children to care for during lockdown, allowing her to spend an unexpectedly idyllic stretch of time with her husband. Together, they dove deep into comfort viewing, including Vice Principals, which sparked a full appreciation for the wonderfully chaotic world of Danny McBride’s entire catalog.

In this episode of What’s Your Damage?, we kick things off with a shoutout to our friends over at Pod Chef — because nothing pairs better with emotional damage than a perfectly plated podcast.

Then AJ and AJ dive headfirst into two memories about sexism, survival, and becoming the hot, powerful women they were always meant to be.

"A" takes us back to 2012 NYC, where she was grinding through the comedy scene at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, surviving on dreams, delusion, and $1 pizza. What started as an exciting comedy journey quickly turned gross when the assistant artistic director solicited her for nudes. But somewhere between pretending to be rich and watching Katy Perry’s: Part of Me documentary, "A" found inspiration to embrace her femininity, sexuality, and main character energy.

Meanwhile, "J" revisits 7th grade and the science teacher whose MC Hammer pants and tragic mullet screamed “cool youth pastor,” but whose real passion was trying to befriend the cool boys in class and making "J" feel stupid — even when she got the answer right. Which is especially wild considering she literally became valedictorian. Sir, maybe you should’ve stayed after class.

In this episode, AJ & AJ dive into the many forms cheating can take—both physical and emotional—and how blurry those lines can get.

“J” shares a wild story from her teenage years: her high school boyfriend disappears at scout camp (before “ghosting” was even a term), only for her to later chase closure—literally—by driving 110 mph through mountain roads to win him back after his rebound fizzled. She reflects on how music from Erasure still brings her back to those intense young-love memories.

“A” opens up about a past relationship from her New Orleans days, where emotional cheating showed up in quieter but just as painful ways—like withholding key truths, blurred boundaries, and discovering too late that someone staying in their shared space had a deeper history than she was led to believe. She reflects on how, during that time, she looked to the relationships around her—and even on TV—for clarity, becoming especially drawn to Monica and Chandler from Friends as her ideal of what a healthy, supportive partnership could look like. It wasn’t until after she ended that relationship that she fully recognized what she actually wanted—and eventually found it with her “producer.”

Together, they unpack what honesty, betrayal, and trust really look like—and how cheating isn’t always as obvious as it seems.

AJ and AJ talk about fame, recognition, and the deeply held childhood belief that being discovered is just a matter of singing loudly enough near shrubbery. As “A” confidently states, “There is no one happier than a child star,” before unpacking her full-blown obsession with All That—aka her weekly pilgrimage into the fantasy that she was Amanda Bynes.

Then “J” shares her own grassroots PR strategy: hiding in a bush clubhouse and belting songs in the hopes that a Star Search producer would simply…wander by and discover her raw, leafy talent. Spoiler: no one came, but the commitment to the fantasy was undeniable.

Now, as fully formed adults, they reflect on the rude awakening that most famous people are…not thriving. Turns out fame does not fix your problems—it just gives your problems a publicist. A also shares what it was like actually working on set with famous people and realizing they’re basically the same as everyone else—just with more money. AJ and AJ unpack the slow realization that being seen is not the same as being happy.

It’s like no time has passed for the audience—but AJ & AJ are back after “A” gave birth, and they’re returning in EPIC fashion… just like the movie they’re diving into: Titanic.

“J” shares the unexpected moment of her theatrical sexual awakening courtesy of James Cameron (aka “Jimmy Cam Cam”), and—spoiler—it’s not the scene you’d think.

Meanwhile, “A” recounts watching the film at a sleepover with a friend whose happily divorced parents had her wishing her own parents would just get divorced already. She also confesses her lifelong devotion to Bad Boy Billy Zane… and that iconic eyeliner.

AJ and AJ bring in their husbands this week—because nothing says “strong relationship” like letting your partner publicly assign you fictional character energy. The mission? Decide which movie and TV characters they’re most like… and the answers are a little too spot-on.

"J" kicks things off with Happiest Season, where her husband compares her to Jane—the sister who takes care of everyone else, keeps the peace, and somehow ends up being the emotional support system for the entire family. Just like “J”

Meanwhile, “A” gets hit with a combo that truly covers all bases: Sam—the free-spirited, effortlessly cool Emma Watson character from The Perks of Being a Wallflower—meets Jenny from Forrest Gump. So, we’re talking magnetic, open-hearted, a little wild and unpredictable… with just enough “main character making questionable choices” energy to keep things interesting. Honestly, a full character arc in one person.

Expect loving call-outs, a little identity spiraling, and the realization that the people closest to you have absolutely been studying you this whole time.

AJ and AJ dive into some spicier territory this week. As “A” nears the end of her pregnancy, she opens up about her evolving feelings around intimacy, desire, and what’s been sparking her interest lately—including the complicated pull of watching sexy content online. She reflects on the tension between personal enjoyment and concerns about how that content is made.

“J”, coming from a recovering Mormon background, shares her own limited experiences with erotic media—highlighting Blue Is the Warmest Color as a formative (and complicated) example of something both artistic and deeply sensual, despite its own controversies.

It’s an honest, funny, and thoughtful conversation about desire, ethics, and how our past shapes what turns us on.